Ornamental Annual
Tall Double Mix Strawflower is a treasure from the world of everlasting flowers, an easy-to-grow annual that transforms gardens into a painter's palette of crimsons, pinks, salmons, lemons, whites, and lilacs. This Australian native, introduced to England in 1791 and refined by German horticulturist Herren Ebritsch in the mid-19th century, produces papery blooms that hold their color and texture for months, making them irresistible for both fresh and dried arrangements. The double flowers in this tall mix are exceptionally showy, and because they thrive in full sun and sprout reliably within 7-10 days, gardeners of any experience level can succeed.
10-12 inches apart
Full Sun
Low
8-11
?in H x ?in W
Annual
High
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What makes the Tall Double Mix special is its dual personality: equally stunning in the garden as it is dried and pressed into craft projects. The range of jewel-toned colors from a single seed packet means every gardener gets a mixed bouquet without hunting through multiple varieties. This is a true everlasting, holding its form and brilliance indefinitely, and it's tough enough to handle the warmth and intensity of full sun where other flowers wilt.
Tall Double Mix Strawflower is the quintessential everlasting flower for dried arrangements and floral craft projects. The papery texture and long-lasting color make these blooms ideal for dried bouquets, wreaths, and pressed flower work. Florists prize them for their ability to hold shape and color indefinitely, and home gardeners grow them specifically to harvest at peak bloom and dry for winter arrangements.
For earlier blooms, start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before your last frost date. Maintain soil temperatures of 70-75°F for reliable germination within 7-10 days. Keep soil moist but not waterlogged, and provide bright light once seedlings emerge.
Harden off seedlings by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions over 7-10 days. Transplant outdoors only after all frost danger has passed and soil has warmed, spacing plants 10-12 inches apart in full sun.
Direct sow seeds outdoors after the last frost date when soil has warmed to 70-75°F. This variety germinates quickly and easily, making direct sowing a practical option for most gardeners.
Harvest flowers for drying when they've just fully opened but the centers are still fresh, typically mid-morning after any dew has dried. Cut stems long to give yourself options for arranging, and because strawflowers are everlastings, you can harvest continuously throughout the season without harming the plant's ability to produce more blooms. Hang bundles upside down in a cool, dry, dark place to dry completely, which usually takes 1-2 weeks depending on humidity.
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“Tall Double Mix Strawflower carries a genuine Old World pedigree. The species originated in Australia, but it took the horticultural refinement of 19th-century Germany to develop the rich palette of colors and the full double flowers we grow today. German horticulturist Herren Ebritsch was instrumental in this breeding work during the mid-1800s, creating the foundation for the multicolored varieties that became beloved across Europe and eventually the world. What began as an exotic botanical curiosity transformed into a cottage garden staple and floral craft essential.”